The Rhode Island Veteran's Home

The mission of the home is to provide quality nursing and residential care to those Rhode Island war veterans in need. Social, medical, nursing and rehabilitative services are also provided to veterans and their survivors and/or dependents to improve their physical, emotional and economic well-being.

The Veterans Home consists of 260 nursing care beds in three skilled and semiskilled units and two ambulatory care units and two ambulatory care units with an additional 79 beds.

Admission to the RI Veterans Home is open to veterans of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Merchant Marine, Coast Guard or Air Force who were honorably discharged and who served for 90 days or more during any foreign war or conflict in which the United States was engaged or in any expedition or campaign for which the United States government issued a campaign medal or as a result of service, acquired a service-related disability or disease. In addition, war service veterans need to have lived in the state at least two years prior to the date of application or who were inducted into military services while a resident of the State of Rhode Island.

The Rhode Island Veteran's Cemetery

The Division of Veterans Affairs maintains a dignified and solemn military cemetery on 265 acres in Exeter, Rhode Island. The cemetery serves as a final resting place for Rhode Island Veterans who have served their country honorably during wartime and their eligible dependents. Twenty-year retirees of the Rhode Island National Guard have recently become eligible, as have reserve components of the National Guard and two-year active services personnel with honorable discharges. Veterans, his or her spouse, and an eligible dependent child may be buried at the RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

Property Tax Exemptions

Exemptions shall be applied to the property in the municipality where the person resides, and if there is not sufficient property to exhaust the exemption, the person may claim the balance in any other city or town where the person may own property. An exemption shall not be allowed to persons who are not legal residents of the State of Rhode Island. To qualify for an exemption, appropriate documentation will be required by the municipality at time of application. The seven exemption categories include:

Veterans' regular exemption

Unmarried widow/widower of qualified veteran

Veterans' exemption for totally disabled through service connected disability

Rhode Island Veterans Benefits Counseling

The Rhode Island Veterans Affairs Office offers benefit counseling including a variety of social services to Rhode Island armed forces personnel, veterans, and their dependents who are seeking assistance.

This office processes all applications for admissions to the RI Veterans Home and will conduct home visits, if needed, for those veterans applying for admission. Other services handled by this office include casework, counseling, referral, budget management, and completion of claims (i.e. pensions, compensations, social security).

The Veterans Affairs Office also provides information needed for the admission team at the Rhode Island Veterans Home to assign the proper level of nursing care to the veterans it serves. In addition, staff at the Veterans Affairs Office work with all state veteran services organizations to assist veterans with their requests for services.